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State of Eritrea

ሃገረ ኤርትራ  Hagere Ertra
دولة إرتريا  Dawlat Iritriyā
Anthem: Ertra, Ertra, Ertra
Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea
Location of Eritrea
Capital
and largest city
 Asmara
Official languages Tigrinya
Arabic
English
Ethnic groups
(2012)
 55% Tigrinya
30% Tigre
4% Saho
2% Kunama
2% Rashaida
2% Bilen
5% othera
Demonym(s) Eritrean
Government Unitary Single-party under an totalitarian dictatorship
• President
 Isaias Afewerki
Independence
• From Italy
 November 1941
• From United Kingdom under UN Mandate
 1951
• from Ethiopia de facto
 24 May 1991
• From Ethiopia de jure
 24 May 1993
Area
• Total
 117,600 km2 (45,400 sq mi) (101st)
• Water (%)
 0.14%
Population
• 2012 estimate
 6,086,495 (107th)
• 2008 census
 5,291,370
• Density
 51.8/km2 (134.2/sq mi) (154th)
GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate
• Total
 $4.397 billion
• Per capita
 $777
GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate
• Total
 $3.108 billion
• Per capita
 $549
HDI (2011) Steady 0.349
low · 177th
Currency Nakfa (ERN)
Time zone UTC+3 (EAT)
• Summer (DST)
 UTC+3 (not observed)
Driving side right
Calling code 291
ISO 3166 code ER
Internet TLD .er
  1. Afar, Beni-Amer, Nara.
  2. Working languages only.
Er-map
A map of Eritrea

Eritrea is a country on the eastern coast of Africa. Its official name is The State of Eritrea.

Geography

Eritrean Highlands
Eritrean highlands.

Eritrea is located on the coast on the Red Sea. It is north of the Bab-el-Mandeb and the Horn of Africa. Eritrea has borders with the countries of Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. The land area of Eritrea is 101,000 km², and it is one of the smallest countries in Africa.

History

Leaping Ibex, Ethiopia (2130266960)
Bronze oil lamp excavated at Matara, dating from the Kingdom of Dʿmt (1st century BCE or earlier)

Eritrea became an independent country on 24 May 1993. It is one of the newest countries in the world.

Many different countries have ruled the land that is now called Eritrea. Between 1885 and 1941 it was a colony of Italy. Between 1941 and 1952, the United Nations put it under the protection of United Kingdom. After 1952, Eritrea became a part of Ethiopia. This was the reason for a long civil war between the Eritreans and the government of Ethiopia.

Eventually, in 1993, Eritrea became an independent country after a vote by its people.

Administrative divisions

Eritrea is divided into six administrative regions. These areas are then divided into 58 districts.

Eritrea, administrative divisions - Nmbrs - colored
A map of Eritrea regions. 1.Northern Red Sea, 2.Anseba, 3.Gash-Barka, 4.Central(to right), 5.Southern, 6.Southern Red Sea
Regions of Eritrea
Region Area (km2) Population Capital
Central 1,300 1,053,254 Asmara
Anseba 23,200 893,587 Keren
Gash-Barka 33,200 1,103,742 Barentu
Southern 8,000 1,476,765 Mendefera
Northern Red Sea 27,800 897,454 Massawa
Southern Red Sea 27,600 398,073 Assab

Culture

The population of Eritrea is about 5.6 million. About 0.5 million people live in Asmara. People from Eritrea are called Eritreans. Most of them speak Tigrinya or Tigre as their first language. The people usually use Tigrinya or Arabic for official business.

Eritrea has nine ethnic groups. These are the Afar people, the Bilen people, the Hedareb people, the Kunama, the Nara, the Rashaida, the Saho, the Tigre, and Tigray-Tigrinya.

The currency of Eritrea is called the Nakfa. Eritrea is a very poor country. Almost half of Eritrea's economy comes from Eritreans who live abroad. They send money home to their families. Most of the rest comes from farming.

Football and cycling are the most popular sports in Eritrea. In recent years, Eritrean athletes have also seen increasing success in the international arena.

Related pages



Images for kids

  • Dera rock art

    Deka Rock Art in Deka Arbaa, Debub region of Eritrea dated to 100,000 years ago

  • Qohaito, Eritrea (33628113490)

    Pre-Axumite monolithic columns in Qohaito

  • Bahta Hagos

    Bahta Hagos was an important leader of the Eritrean resistance to foreign domination, specifically against northern Ethiopian and Italian colonialism.

  • Cartolina dei Carabinieri Reali spedita dalla Colonia Eritrea dell'Asmara (1907)

    Postcard of the Carabinieri sent from Italian Eritrea in 1907

  • Asmara - Piazza Roma - Banca d'Italia

    Piazza Roma in Italian Asmara

  • Eritrean Independence War Map

    Eritrean War of Independence against Ethiopia 1961–1991

  • Asmara panorama, Eritrea

    A view over Asmara

  • Un-eritrea

    Map of Eritrea

  • Dahlak reliefmap

    The Dahlak Archipelago

  • Eritrean birds - pelicans in Asmara pound

    Pelicans in a pond near Asmara

  • Eri landscape

    Eritrean landscape near road to Massawa

  • The 23d ICSOE Conference for East Africa in Asmara, Eritrea 2019

    The 23d ISCOE East Africa Conference in Asmara in 2019

  • Independence Day of Eritrea

    Independence Day is one of the most important public holidays in Eritrea.

  • Eritrean mountai road archietcture

    Eritrean mountain road

  • Train Asmara Eritrea

    Steam train outside Asmara on the Eritrean Railway

  • En visualize explore tree map hs92 export eri all show 2013 (4)

    Eritrea's main exports, 2013

  • Barentu2

    A woman and a man in Barentu wearing traditional clothes

  • Population pyramid of Eritrea 2016

    Population pyramid of Eritrea 2016

  • Eritrea - Government building, Asmara

    Building of regional administration in Asmara

  • Asmara, mai jah jah 02

    Asmara, Eritrea in 2015

  • Gash Barkahouses

    Traditional Eritrean agudo/tukul huts in a village near Barentu

  • EritreaInstituteOfTechnology

    The Eritrea Institute of Technology

  • Eritrea 13

    Eritrean pupils in uniform

  • Eritrean Injera with stews

    Eritrean injera with various stews

  • Helen Meles

    Eritrean artist Helen Meles

  • Tour of Asmara Cycling race, Asmara Eritrea

    Tour of Eritrea cycling competition in Asmara, Eritrea.

  • Asmara, cattedrale cattolica, 01

    Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in the capital Asmara

See also

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